An example holographic film contains a silver halide emulsion in which small particles are suspended in a three dimensional matrix. Laser light impinging on the film moves the particles such that a hologram is created in the film. A hologram essentially records information regarding light from a 3D object as scattered in multiple directions rather than from only one direction, as in a photograph. This allows the hologram of the object to be viewed from multiple angles with different object aspects, just as the original object can be viewed from multiple angles to see it various aspects.
Thus, a hologram records the interference wavefront patterns of light from a reference source (typically from a laser) and the reflections off an object from the reference source. A hologram can record the correct focus cues and polarization of light. Photographic film records the holographic interference patterns by displacing the tiny silver-halide particles in the film, which are typically between 0.1 to 2 micro meters in diameter. Photographic film can record at least 800 line pairs per mm, which is equivalent to over 20,000 dots per inch (DPI), thus allowing film to achieve at least 100× greater resolution than typical electronic displays.